Today, Thursday May 7 2020, at 13:00 UTC the Internet Society European Bureau hosts an informal members chat “Privacy issues in the aftermath of Covid-19“. This 90-minute call will focus on issues relating to privacy, security, trust, and the technical solutions being proposed for tracking and tracing Covid-19 contagion. Topic presenter: Stefano Zanero, Associate Professor at Politecnico di Milano. Commentator: Robin Wilton, Director of Internet Trust, Internet Society. Policy issues: Ceren Ünal, Regional Policy Manager, Europe, Internet Society. Moderator: Frederic Donck, European Regional VP, Internet Society.
On November 14-15 2019 the Internet Society, in partnership with the Georgian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, organizes the European Community Networks Summit “Community Networks: Connecting the Next Billion” in Tbilisi, Georgia. Over the past few years, community networks have emerged as a low-cost, community-driven way to bring Internet connections to some of the remotest and underserved parts of the world, including in the mountainous region of Tusheti, Georgia. However, these community-led solutions face many challenges that require policymaker’s consideration to flourish.
2019 წლის 14-15 ნოემბერს ინტერნეტ საზოგადოება, საქართველოს ეკონომიკისა და მდგრადი განვითარების სამინისტროსთან თანამშრომლობით, თბილისში, საქართველოში აწყობს ევროპული საზოგადოების ქსელების სამიტს “სათემო ქსელები: შემდეგი მილიარდის დაკავშირება”. ბოლო რამდენიმე წლის განმავლობაში, საზოგადოებრივი ქსელები წარმოიქმნა, როგორც იაფი, საზოგადოებაზე ორიენტირებული გზა, რათა მიეწოდებინათ ინტერნეტ – კავშირი მსოფლიოს ზოგიერთ შორეულ და დაუცველ ნაწილში, მათ შორის, საქართველოში, თუშეთის მაღალმთიან რეგიონში. ამასთან, თემის წინამორბედ გადაწყვეტილებებს მრავალი გამოწვევა ემუქრება, რაც პოლიტიკის შემქმნელების აყვავებას მოითხოვს. ამრიგად, ინტერნეტ საზოგადოება პარტნიორობს საქართველოს ეკონომიკისა და მდგრადი განვითარების სამინისტროსთან, რომ ამ ნოემბერში თბილისში გაიმართოს დიდი საერთაშორისო კონფერენცია, რათა დააზიანოს დაინტერესებული მხარეები და ევროკავშირის პოლიტიკოსები მთელს ევროპაში.
Last Thursday 6 October 2016 the Geneva Internet Platform presented a webinar Net neutrality in Europe: The BEREC guidelines and beyond. Mr Frode Sørensen, Senior Adviser at Norwegian Communications Authority (Nkom) presented an overview of the recently published Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications set of Guidelines on the Implementation by National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) of European Network Neutrality Rules. The BEREC guidelines are aimed at assisting national regulatory authorities in implementing their net neutrality-related obligations according to the new EU regulations (2015/2120), including by closely monitoring and ensuring ‘compliance with the rules to safeguard equal and non-discriminatory treatment of traffic in the provision of Internet access services and related end-user rights’. The Guidelines were received with enthusiasm by civil society – some of whom see them as a win for net neutrality in the EU – and with a degree of reticence by telecom operators – some of whom argue that most of their concerns have not been taken into account. Regulators say their guidelines have found a balanced solution within the frames set out by the regulation, indicated by the observation that both camps in the debate seem equally (un)happy. Mr Sørensen provided a snapshot of the BEREC’s net neutrality guidelines, and reflected on their effect on commercial practices such as zero rating, traffic management of internet access services, the issue of specialised services, and the innovation and rights of Internet users, as well as questions raised by the participants. An edited version of the webinar will be streamed at 1pm EDT today Monday October 10 2016 on the Internet Society Livestream Channel
On August 8 2014 the Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee (ICAC) hosted a panel Can Europe Force Search Engines to Censor Information You’re Looking for on the Internet? Assessing the Right to be Forgotten. Europe’s new privacy right clashes with other deeply held values such as freedom of expression and transparency. Many observers are concerned that the EU’s approach could even affect American Internet users. EU privacy regulators have suggested that the search engines must delete results not only within the EU, but globally, in spite of our First Amendment rights to publish and view the information. Is the right to be forgotten necessary to protect privacy, or does the EU rule go too far? Should the EU be able to limit access to information by American Internet users? Can the right to be forgotten be reconciled with the watchdog role of the press when public figures can use the new procedures to censor potentially embarrassing information? Speakers: Mike Godwin, Senior Policy Advisor, Internews; Joe Jerome, Policy Counsel, Future of Privacy Forum; Emma Llansó, Director of CDT’s Project on Free Expression, Center for Democracy and Technology; Rob Pegoraro, Columnist, Yahoo Tech; David Hoffman, Director of Security Policy and Global Privacy Officer, Intel. Moderator: Michael Kubayanda, Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee. Video/audio is below. Closed captions are available.
The European Commission has announced earlier in the year that it would investigate Net Neutrality. On June 30 2010 a three month public consultation period was launched. A report is promised by the end of the year.
European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes said: “I am committed to keeping the internet open and neutral. Consumers should be able to access the content they want. Content providers and operators should have the right incentives to keep innovating. But traffic management and net neutrality are highly complex issues. I do not assume that one approach or another should prevail. We need input from all sides so we can examine all the issues carefully, in a very objective way, strike the right balance between all the interests involved and work out what new measures, if any, may be needed.”
The European Parliament resoundingly voted against the secret Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), in a resounding 663 to 13 tally. The parliamentarians defied the EU executive and threatened to take the issue to the European Court of Justice if the EU doesn’t reject ACTA’s provisions on disconnection for infringement and other enforcement provisions.
A strong majority of MEPs (663 against and 13 in favour) today voted against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), arguing that it flouts agreed EU laws on counterfeiting and piracy online.
In addition, the Parliament’s decision today states that MEPs will go to the Court of Justice if the EU does not reject ACTA rules, including cutting off users from the Internet “gradually” if caught stealing content.
Though MEPs cannot participate in the ACTA talks, without the consent of the European Parliament, EU negotiators will have to go back to the drawing board and come up with a compromise.
the European Parliament “deplores the calculated choice of the parties not to negotiate through well-established international bodies, such as WIPO and WTO, which have established frameworks for public information and consultation”
It says “further ACTA negotiations should include a larger number of developing and emerging countries, with a view to reaching a possible multilateral level of negotiation”
provides that “any agreement must include the stipulation that the closing-off of an individual’s Internet access shall be subject to prior examination by a court”
warns that “ACTA provisions, notably measures aimed at strengthening powers for cross-border inspection and seizure of goods, should not affect global access to legitimate, affordable and safe medicinal products – including innovative and generic products – on the pretext of combating counterfeiting”
As for next steps, the European Parliament clearly wants action as the resolution also states that it “stresses that, unless Parliament is immediately and fully informed at all stages of the negotiations, it reserves its right to take suitable action, including bringing a case before the Court of Justice in order to safeguard its prerogatives.” This marks a major step toward ACTA transparency, highlighting the near-unanimous discomfort with the process and substance of ACTA to date.
Today, Thursday May 7 2020, at 13:00 UTC the Internet Society European Bureau hosts an informal members chat “Privacy issues in the aftermath of Covid-19“. This 90-minute call will focus on issues relating to privacy, security, trust, and the technical solutions being proposed for tracking and tracing Covid-19 contagion. Topic presenter: Stefano Zanero, Associate Professor at Politecnico di Milano. Commentator: Robin Wilton, Director of Internet Trust, Internet Society. Policy issues: Ceren Ünal, Regional Policy Manager, Europe, Internet Society. Moderator: Frederic Donck, European Regional VP, Internet Society.
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